Sacré Bleu: A Comedy d'Art
4.0
114
5
1
Paperback
USD
15.29
$15.29
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780061779756 |
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| Publisher: | HarperCollins Publishers |
| Publication date: | 10/09/2012 |
| Pages: | 403 |
| Sales rank: | 138,684 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.30(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.90(d) |
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Sacré Bleu: A Comedy of D'Art
4 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
114 reviews.
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Christopher Moore's latest novel SACRE BLEU is an extremely well researched off the wall romp through Paris' art nobility, taking place immediately after the death of Vincent Van Gogh. And some time before that. And during the time period shortly after the dinosaurs died...
No, I'm not crazy. What starts as two friends (one a baker, the other a drunk, whoring aristocrat) trying to solve the death of their friend and fellow painter Vincent Van Gogh turns into a delving into the supernatural as the two meet a model (Juliette) and her odd, surly, dwarfish companion known only as "the Colorman." Along the way, the two interact with many from Paris' art scene, as well as numerous art patrons, prostitutes, a donkey named Etienne, and a genuine mad scientist.
Anyone who has read Christopher Moore knows he has a wickedly warped sense of humor, and that shines through almost from the start in this book. But this book isn't just funny, it's so well researched it's almost educational. I am non-artsy, don't care a bit about Monet or Impressionalism, and still feel like I learned a ton about painters and styles of the day. On top of that, I had a pretty great time doing it!
Some of Moore's other stories took place in a world he created. But here he proves his ability to paint on someone else's canvas (wow, I learned more than I thought!), and in doing so adds another dimension to his work.
Christopher Moore fans, indeed fans of the comic novel in general, will thoroughly enjoy this book.
If you do not find this review helpful, please leave a comment so that I know how I may improve my reviews.
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This is my fourth fave C Moore book after Lamb, Dirty Job ad Fool. Love the characters and as always the mystical female. This bastard is such a genius at dialogue and my jealousy of his talent grows with each new book
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Sacre Bleu: A Comedy d’Art
By Christopher Moore
Vincent van Gogh has been murdered; Lucien Lessard is a painter/baker/rat catcher once he learns of van Gogh’s demise he immediately heads to the Moulin Rouge in search of his closest friend Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. The two of them spend a great deal of time together until Lucien’s ex-lover whom broke his heart returns and Lucien finds himself lost to Juliette and he even begins to loose large chunks of time not knowing where or what he was doing. Lucien’s family Toulouse Lautrec’s help in rescuing Lucien from the woman, once Henri tries to intervene he begins to uncover a shocking truth that not only effects Lucien but all painters.
I have always been a fan of impressionism so I had worried that Christopher Moore may not be able to capture some of the paintings that I love, but he not only managed to make each artist outrageously funny and interesting but he brought to life some of the world’s most precious pieces of art. I have read a few of Christopher Moore’s novels before and I always end up laughing, if you have a crude sense of humor and can’t help but giggle at idiotic things then this will surely keep you enthralled if not then you may want to move on quickly. My favorite scene was Lucien as a boy in a graveyard trying to catch snails, when he spots one he says “Ah Ha” and in turn the snail says “Ah Ha” to which the young Lucien starts to run away screaming, that isn’t the entire scene of course you will have to actually read the book to find out more but it is a glimpse into the absurdity and childish humor I so love from Christopher Moore.
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love his books but this one sucked
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I am a BIG FAN of Christopher Moore's books and have bought and read every one of them. I have loved every single one - up until this one. Sacre Bleu lacks the wild imagination and irrverent humor that Moore had made me accustomed to. For one thing, I typically read his other books rather quickly - usually less than a week - because I didn't want to put them down. It took me two months to read Sacre Bleu. It was a difficult slog until Part III, when I finally felt like I wanted to pick up the book and see what would happen next. Parts I and II seemed like a tedious art history lesson that wasn't going anywhere. If not for my previous experiences with Moore's books, I would have tossed the book and looked for something else to read. However, I persevered - hoping the story would somehow come together - but I was very disappointed. Part III got better and closer to Moore's typical writing, but it just didn't achieve the brilliance of his other stories. The pace picked up, but it lacked punch. The chuckles that came were also few and far between. The two stars I gave it were because it was just okay as a standalone book. Unfortunately, compared to the rest of Moore's catalog, it surely deserved 0 stars. Sorry Christopher, but I buy your books for what they make me feel. This one let me down.
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Are you SURE Christopher Moore wrote this? Usually one can always count on him for refreshingly quirky
characters
and hilarious (if deeply bent)
plots.But Sacre Bleu is just not funny.Perhaps his mistake is in taking the subject too seriously. I realize that not every book can be a gem, but this one is a real letdown after "Fool". Moore should stick to what he does best.
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I have read everything that Christopher Moore has written and loved them all, till now. The story line in Sacre Bleu is so slow and tiresome that I almost gave up finishing it. Which is a shame, the author is so worried about including so many historical facts the the story seems to go on forever. I just didn't find this book as witty and spell binding as his other works. If you haven't read a Christopher Moore novel before don't start with this book. His other works are much better.
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In the wake of Van Gogh's death, his painter friends in Paris begin investigating how the sinister Color Man--and a series of alluring models--might be behind it.Why I picked it up: As if Christopher Moore isn't enough, it's read by Euan Morton.Why I finished it: The usual delightful parade of Moore-ish characters, stumbling into worlds where something very, very weird (and a bit absurd) is going on.I'd give it to: Bear with me here, but I think Christopher Moore and Diana Wynne Jones are really very much alike (with Ms. Jones lacking the sex farce and eloquent profanity). Both put their engaging characters in absurd and slapstick situations that often are driven by deeper metaphysical and mythological forces.
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Vincent Van Gogh¿s unusual suicide¿he shot himself in the chest shortly after finishing a painting, then walked a mile to a doctor¿s house¿provides the catalyst for revelations about the origins of the painter¿s madness in this humorous and layered novel. Lucien Lessard, baker in the Montmartre neighborhood of Paris, has grown up around some of the greatest painters of the age, including Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, and Manet. An aspiring painter himself, Lucien finds that his painting takes fire when his true love, the mysterious and beautiful Juliette, brings him a special tube of ultramarine blue paint from a strange paint dealer known only as the Colorman. As it turns out, Van Gogh also bought his blue from the Colorman, as did most, if not all, of the other famous painters in Paris at the time. And all of those painters also conducted mad, passionate, and ultimately doomed relationships with beautiful women at the same time. Lucien, beginning to piece this together, joins forces with his friend ¿the little gentleman,¿ the painter Toulouse-Lautrec¿who, as it turns out, has also bought blue paint from the Colorman and also lost his true love, Carmen. They must discover the secret of the Colorman and the secret of the sacred blue before they, too, end up dead.Humorous as Moore¿s books always are, Sacre Bleu, like Lamb and Fool, also contains a wealth of rich historical detail, clearly the product of meticulous reseach and a deep interest in the material. The painters are all portrayed as vividly as their paintings, and fin de siecle Paris is evoked realistically and colorfully.
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MY THOUGHTSABSOLUTELY LOVED ITThis is a sneaky little read, it crept up on me and before I knew it, I was in love! Christopher Moore will take you on a warped tour of the history of the color blue, but like all Moore books, there is weirdness and twists until you get to that moment of epiphany and the whole curious tale becomes brilliant. The story starts out with innocently enough with a baker / painter Lucien Lessard (don't bother googling him, he only exists in Moore's mind), wondering why his good friend and fellow painter Van Gogh shoots himself and then walks a mile to a doctor. He conspires with Toulouse Lautrec to find out the truth behind his "suicide". In his search for the truth, he makes some surprising discoveries behind the majority of painters that have had brilliant, yet strangely unsettling intersections all with the same colorman who supplies them all with blue paint. Weaving through the history and the great names of the Paris art scene, the mystery behind the color blue unravels into what becomes the story of those mythical creatures known as muses. The characters in this book are so full of life and detail. The colorman is one of those quirky characters that can only exist in a Moore book , especially with a name like "poop on a stick". With the colorman's counterpart muse, known by several names, who longs to be free of the colorman, is still enslaved by the magical properties of the color blue. This is a truly magical use of a metaphor and links the whole story from murder mystery to love story. There are some wonderful inventive histories about painters explained as well like where did Van Gogh's ear end up, why so many painters dies of syphillis, and why so many artist abandon their work throughout the years. It also takes you back in time to the earliest of cave paintings and will answer that other question of why there was never blue to be seen there. See, now you will be googling cave paintings to see if that is correct. I know Moore's books have all been optioned for movies and this is one that I really hope makes it to the screen now with the success of Midnight in Paris. This is the literary equivalent except that there are famous painters in the place of authors. Moore is the only author I have first editions that I will keep forever since I first learned of him in San Francisco at the City Lights book store when my husband asked for something weird. I really didn't get into him until I read Lamb and then I devoured everything he has ever written. I must admit that the only book of his I didn't *get* was Fool and now I may have to go back and reread that one.
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What a fun book to read! I love Christopher Moore so I am going to enjoy anything he writes, but I was happy to learn something at the same time! I am headed to Paris this summer so the tutorial on impressionist artists was a bonus. He is hilarious and mystical and his voice is loud and clear in this novel. Loved it.
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Christopher Moore's latest. It didn't make me laugh beverages out my nose as hard as his previous works. I think that might be partially due to the fact that I read this one, as opposed to listening to it on audiobook, which I've done with most of his other books. I just seem to find them more funny when they are read to me. Aside from that, I found the characters to be interesting and really enjoyed how actual paintings were provided to help advance the story and provide a visual. I didn't find this one as gripping as "Dirty Job" or "Bite Me", but would still recommend to other Christopher Moore fans.
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Christopher Moore says that this novel is about the color blue. I think it's absolutely brilliant, one of his best. He has taken the stories of Impressionist painters in 19th century Paris and woven them together in a tale of inspiration, sexual obsession, heartache and syphilis. I laughed all the way through.
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Loved it! Mr Moore has a wonderful sense of humor. His characters are well rounded and the bits of history make it even more enjoyable. This just might be my favorite Moore book.
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The death of van Gogh: was it suicide or murder? This is the opening scene and the premise of Christopher Moore¿s latest comic novel, as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and his young artist friend Lucien Lessard investigate why the great painters of France are dying off. Will one of them be the next victim? Moore¿s style is consistently humorous and bawdy. But as in previous books such as Lamb, Fluke, and Fool, his underlying theme is serious and thought provoking. [Bob - Circ. Staff]
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"A dark fairy tale about the color blue." That is how Christopher Moore describes his latest book. It is that, and so much more. Now I rarely review the cover of a book; I mean how many times have we been told to never judge a book by its cover? But in this case, the cover itself deserves attention. Since this is a book about art, it is only fitting to have a beautiful, artistic cover. Add to that the way the book is bound, the type of paper, and the gorgeous illustrations, and this is a book that is worth buying on that alone. But as an added bonus, it has a truly enjoyable story to tell.The narrative begins in late 19th century France with the death of Vincent Van Gogh. As anyone who has had any exposure to art history knows, Van Gogh killed himself. Or did he? For Moore there appears to be an alternate explanation for his death...murder. Enter Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, together with the town baker's son, Lucien. They become amateur sleuths in figuring out what exactly happened to Van Gogh. As the two start investigating, they cross paths with a plethora of characters. Manet, Renoir, Gaugin, and many other artists of the impressionist period make appearances in the novel. The common thread amongst these painters appears to be the "Sacred Blue" pigment being supplied to them by The Colorman. Could this Colorman be the key to Van Gogh's death? Take some art history, add a some fantasy/alternative history, sprinkle in some irreverent humor, and then top it off with general Chris Moore wonderful weirdness. It makes for a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
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Sacre Bleu is the story of painter/baker Lucien Lessard and real-life artist Henri Toulouse-Lautrec as they try to figure out if their friend Vincent Van Gogh really killed himself or if foul play was involved. Along the way, they meet the mysterious Colorman, who is always trying to sell blue paint to the artists. Other real-life artists of the day have supporting roles: Monet, Manet, Degas, Gauguin.This book was definitely absurd but I didn't find myself laughing out loud as much as I usually do with a Christopher Moore book. I was more mildly amused. A lot of the jokes that I didn't think were that funny in the first place were repeated throughout the book, which got old.As an art lover married to a painter, I appreciated the art references throughout the book and having pictures of the paintings mentioned included within the text. (The pictures were black and white in my advance copy; I'm not sure if they will be in color in the finished hardback but I hope they will.)I think that Moore fans will get some enjoyment from reading this book. If you are new to him, I would not recommend starting with Sacre Bleu.
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Moore does it again! This time out, the art world of late 19th Century Paris provides the backdrop for heinous f***ery most foul.
Get a copy for yourself, and for your college roommate that had a poster of Monet's "Waterlilies" on the dorm-room wall.
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I always enjoy Christopher Moore's humor and writing. He reminds us that we don't have to take the world so seriously and can laugh, most often, at ourselves. I would recommend any of Moore's books, including this one.
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This was my least favorite Christopher Moore book. It had his usual absurd, irreverent tone, but it just seemed esoteric to me, like I wasn't really getting most of the novel because I was unfamiliar with most of the artists who were characters. If you love and are very familiar with early modern European artists (Van Goh, Whistler, etc.), especially those in the Parisian scene where most of this novel takes place, and don't mind irreverence & the macabre, I suspect you will absolutely love this novel.
If you're a fan of Moore's other work, but not an art afficionado, then I suggest you give this one a pass; it's a lot more dense and obscure than most of his other books. I found it overall entertaining (with my small knowledge of modern art), but at times frustrating or even boring as he delved into different artist stories. The character development is not very strong as he seems to be relying on readers to understand and know the historical characters that he is referencing. It has humor, but is very dark (much darker than the other books I've read by him).
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This is the best of Christopher Moore. I've reread this book several times now and still laugh at all of the quick wit. Historical fiction is a great genre and he serves it justice with Sacre Bleu.
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